Recovery & Support for Meningioma

After treatment, doctors at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center develop a follow-up care plan customized to your needs. People who have been treated for slow-growing tumors may need follow-up appointments every one to two years; those with fast-growing meningiomas may need to see their doctors more often.

Checkups may involve MRI or CT scans to see if a tumor has returned. Your doctor may also check for symptoms of meningioma, such as problems with cognition, or the ability to process information.

Our oncologists, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and physical and occupational therapists are committed to supporting you during and after treatment.

Supportive and Integrative Care

The supportive care team at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center can manage any pain or discomfort associated with meningioma or its treatments. This may involve medication or integrative therapies. Our integrative health services include acupuncture, which may relieve tumor-related pain and radiation-related dry mouth and fatigue, and massage therapy, which can help reduce stress.

Psychological and Social Support

Support groups and one-on-one counseling sessions with a psycho-oncologist, a healthcare provider who is trained to address the psychological needs of people with cancer, are available at the Perlmutter Cancer Center. Counseling can often help manage any stress or anxiety you may be experiencing. Social workers are available to help address any financial matters that may arise during your treatment.

Cognitive Rehabilitation

Depending on the location of a meningioma and the type of treatment prescribed, some people may have problems thinking or processing information. Our doctors at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation can evaluate you and prescribe a rehabilitation program implemented by psychologists to help you regain cognitive function or adapt to any challenges you may be experiencing.

Physical and Occupational Therapy

Meningiomas can affect balance and movement. After an evaluation by doctors at Rusk Rehabilitation, physical therapy is prescribed to address these challenges with an exercised-based therapy program that maximizes the body’s ability to counteract a loss of balance.

Occupational therapy is also prescribed for people who may need help returning to the activities of daily living, such as dressing, preparing a meal, or running errands.

Speech and Swallowing Therapy

Depending on the location of the tumor and the treatments, problems with speech and swallowing may arise. Rusk Rehabilitation doctors prescribe speech and swallowing therapy to help restore these important abilities. Therapists can teach you exercise programs for the mouth, tongue, and voice box. They can also help people with memory problems and those who are having trouble communicating, such as using the telephone or talking in a group setting.

Visual Rehabilitation

Although rare, meningiomas can occur near the optic nerve, which runs from the eye to the brain and enables eyesight. As a result, treatment for these meningiomas, or the tumor itself, can interfere with vision.

Our team of doctors, which includes rehabilitation physicians, neurologists, and neuro-ophthalmologists—who specialize in visual problems that occur as a result of brain trauma or a tumor—can help people adapt to changes in vision or learn how to compensate for vision loss.

Therapists at Rusk Rehabilitation can help you achieve the highest possible level of independence.